Getting started with BigCommerce: what to expect
Configuring a BigCommerce store is a sequence of practical choices that together determine how your shop looks, how customers buy, and how orders are fulfilled. You will move from account creation to catalog setup, then refine checkout, shipping, and taxes, and finally optimize for search and tracking. The steps below assume you already have product information and basic brand assets (logo, colors, product images), but they also point out simple decisions you can make if you’re still assembling those pieces.
Before you begin
Prepare a short list of essentials so configuration goes faster: product titles and descriptions, high-resolution images, pricing, SKU numbers, shipping weights and dimensions, and your business tax or VAT details. Also decide whether you will use an existing domain or register a new one, and gather account details for any payment providers you want to enable right away (for example, PayPal or Stripe). Having these on hand prevents repeated switching between systems while configuring BigCommerce.
Step-by-step configuration
1. Create your BigCommerce account and pick a plan
Start at BigCommerce.com, create an account, and choose the plan that matches expected sales volume and feature needs. During the trial you can explore most features. After signup, walk through the initial setup wizard,this asks basic store information, timezone, currency, and the industry your business serves. Fill these accurately because they affect reporting, tax defaults, and some template behaviors.
2. Set up your store basics
Open Store Setup > Settings in the control panel and complete the general information: store name, email addresses for order and customer service, address, default weight unit, and timezone. Under Store Profile, enter legal and contact details that will show in emails and invoices. Configure store language and currency settings if you plan to sell internationally. These items are simple but important for invoices, tax calculations, and customer trust.
3. Choose and customize a theme
Visit Storefront > My Themes to pick a theme. BigCommerce offers free and paid themes with different layouts. Select one that matches your catalog structure (large catalogs benefit from more product filtering). Use the Theme Editor to change colors, fonts, header and footer content, and homepage sections without touching code. If you need deeper changes, consider a child theme or hire a developer to edit template files. Always preview changes on desktop and mobile before publishing.
4. Add products and categories
Organize your catalog before bulk import. Create categories (Departments) that reflect how customers search, then add products under Products > Add. For each product include a descriptive title, clear description with keywords, SKU, price, inventory level, weight, and dimensions. Add multiple images and set one as the primary. Use Product Options and Option Sets for size, color, or material, and associate them with the product as variations. If you have many products, use CSV import to speed the process,download a sample CSV from BigCommerce, map your columns, and import batches.
5. Configure shipping
Shipping is configured under Store Setup > Shipping. Decide whether to use flat rates, weight-based rules, carrier-calculated real-time rates (UPS, FedEx, USPS), or third-party integrations like ShipStation. Add shipping zones by geography and apply appropriate methods and costs. If you offer free shipping thresholds, set conditions here so shipping rates change automatically at checkout. Test shipping rates with sample orders to ensure they calculate correctly for different addresses and cart weights.
6. Set up taxes
Under Store Setup > Taxes, configure how sales tax or VAT will be handled. BigCommerce can calculate taxes automatically for US stores using built-in tax engines or integrate with third-party tax providers if you have complex requirements. Enter your business’s tax nexus locations, specify whether prices include tax, and test sample checkouts across different states or countries. For VAT, ensure you set up VAT registration numbers where required and show tax details on invoices.
7. Enable payment gateways
Go to Payments in the control panel and enable gateways you will accept: PayPal, Stripe, Square, Braintree, or local providers. Follow provider-specific instructions to link accounts and set up API keys or credentials. Configure test mode and process sandbox transactions to verify everything works before going live. Also enable alternate methods such as Apple Pay, Google Pay, or Amazon Pay if they fit your audience; these can increase conversion by speeding checkout on mobile devices.
8. Customize checkout, customer accounts, and email templates
Review Checkout settings to decide whether to allow guest checkout, require account creation, collect additional fields, or enable order comments. Adjust the layout of checkout fields and set terms (for example, shipping and return policies). Edit transactional email templates,order confirmation, shipping confirmation, and abandoned cart reminders,to match your brand voice. Personalizing these messages and adding clear shipping and return instructions reduces customer support contacts and improves trust.
9. SEO and site optimization
Improve visibility by completing SEO settings in Store Setup > SEO. Edit page titles, meta descriptions, and urls for category and product pages. Use descriptive, keyword-focused titles and concise meta descriptions that invite clicks. Enable sitemap.xml generation and ensure canonical URLs are set to avoid duplicate-content issues. Add structured data (rich snippets) for products,BigCommerce themes often include this, but verify presence in page source. Connect the store to Google Analytics and google search console for tracking and indexing.
10. Install apps and integrations
Visit the BigCommerce App Marketplace to add functionality,email marketing, reviews, loyalty programs, dropshipping, and ERP or accounting integrations (QuickBooks, Xero). Choose apps with good reviews and consider how they affect PAGE LOAD and maintenance. Limit overhead by installing only the tools you actively use, and test each integration to ensure it behaves well with your theme and checkout.
11. Test the full purchase flow
Before launching, create several test orders that cover different scenarios: products with variations, different shipping zones, tax-applied purchases, digital vs. physical goods, and a return or refund process. Use sandbox payment modes to simulate transactions and confirm email notifications, inventory decrements, and shipping label generation. Check the storefront on multiple devices to ensure responsive behavior.
12. Point your domain, enable ssl, and go live
When you’re ready to publish, point your domain DNS to BigCommerce or configure a custom domain through Server Settings > store domains. Enable SSL,BigCommerce provides Free SSL Certificates,so the store runs on https; this is essential for customer trust and SEO. Add 301 redirects if you are migrating from an existing site to preserve SEO value. Once dns resolves and SSL is active, remove storefront password protection, and announce the launch through email and social channels.
Maintenance and ongoing tasks
After launch, maintain the store by keeping inventory updated, reviewing analytics weekly, and running A/B tests on key pages like product pages and checkout. Regularly update theme and app versions, monitor page speed, and respond to customer feedback. Schedule backups of crucial data, manage staff accounts and roles in Users & Permissions, and rotate API keys when team members change. Continuous small improvements will keep the store competitive and reduce friction for customers.
Concise summary
Configuring BigCommerce is a structured process: create an account, set store basics, select and customize a theme, import products and categories, configure shipping, taxes, and payment gateways, optimize seo, install essential apps, thoroughly test the checkout flow, and then publish with a custom domain and SSL. Ongoing monitoring and updates keep the store running smoothly and growing over time.
FAQs
How do I import a large product catalog into BigCommerce?
Use the built-in CSV import tool: export the sample CSV from Products > Import, map your fields (title, SKU, price, inventory, weight, image URLs), and upload. For complex catalogs with many variants, split uploads into logical groups and validate a small batch first. If your source is another platform, consider migration apps or hiring a migration specialist to preserve SEO and URLs.
Can I customize checkout on BigCommerce?
Yes. BigCommerce offers built-in checkout configuration (guest checkout, required fields, order comments) and you can customize appearance via theme settings. For deeper customization, you can use Checkout SDK or hire a developer to create custom scripts and checkout experiences, bearing in mind compliance with payment provider rules.
What are the best practices for BigCommerce SEO?
Use descriptive, unique page titles and meta descriptions, optimize product descriptions with relevant keywords, ensure clean, readable URLs, implement structured data for products, submit a sitemap to Google search console, and keep page speed fast by optimizing images and limiting heavy third-party scripts. Maintain consistent internal linking and use 301 redirects when changing URLs.
How do I handle taxes for international sales?
Configure tax settings for each region under Store Setup > Taxes. For international sales, check VAT rules in the EU (distance selling thresholds), consider using a tax provider for automated calculations, and understand import duties and customs for customers,these often depend on the destination country and may be paid by the customer on delivery unless you use Delivered Duty Paid (DDP).
Is it possible to migrate from another ecommerce platform to BigCommerce?
Yes. BigCommerce supports migrations via CSV imports, apps in the marketplace, and professional migration services. Plan the migration to preserve SEO (redirect old URLs), transfer customer and order history if needed, and map product attributes carefully. Test the migrated store thoroughly before switching DNS to minimize downtime and data issues.
